Shoulder pad



June 11, 1935. w w WESTMAN 2,004,356

SHOULDER PAD Filed July 20, 1532 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOULDER PAD Application July 20, 1932, Serial No. 623,638

3 Claims.

to and removed from the violin.

A further object is to provide a device of this character including a plate carried by a violin and a soft pad having a comparatively rigid portion, and snap fasteners carried by said plate and the rigid portion of said pad to detachably secure said pad to said plate.

A further object is to provide a shoulder pad having a lip formed of a plurality of thicknesses of cloth carried at one side thereof and adapted for attachment to a violin.

A further object is to provide a shoulder pad having a substantially rigid securing lip carried by one side thereof to extend parallel with and to one side of the median plane of the pad.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of a violin having my improved shoulder pad applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a violin showing my shoulder pad securing means in full lines and my shoulder pad in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary rear end view of a violin showing my improved device applied thereto.

Figure 4 is a plan view of my improved shoulder pad.

Figure 5 is an edge view of my shoulder pad looking in the direction of the arrow in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of my shoulder pad mounting plate.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of my shoulder pad taken on line 1-1 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral l0 designates the sound box of a violin comprising configured edge members I I and convex top and bottom members l2 provided with plane marginal portions I3. A conventional chin rest [4 is mounted on the upper side of the violin at one side of the support 24 carryin the rear ends of the violin strings 25, and rests upon marginal portion I3 of the top. The chin rest is held in operative position against movement by two sets of rods l5 carrying tum-buckles it. One rod of each set is secured to the chin rest and the opposite rods mount a plate H, which, in conventional constructions, bears against the outer marginal portion l3 of the bottom of the violin.

My improved shoulder pad and the mounting means therefor are employed with the abovedescribed conventional violin body and chin rest. The pad supporting means comprises an arcuate plate l8 of a width not greater than the width of the marginal portion l3 of the bottom 12 of the violin. Plate 98 bears against the marginal portion l3 of the bottom of the violin and carries the head members l9 of a pair of snap fasteners adjacent its opposite ends, said members I9 depending from said plate. Plate l8 underlies the clamping plate l1, and thus the clamping means for the chin rest also serves to support the shoulder pad mounting plate.

My shoulder pad 20 is preferably of elongated, irregular, slightly arcuate shape, and is formed of a suitable material 26, such as fibre, sponge rubber or the like, which is highly compressible. A suitable cloth cover or casing 21 formed of sections stitched or sewed together at 2| encases the padding. A lip 22 is formed at the concave edge of pad 20 by a plurality of layers 28 of cloth sewed together at 29 to form a strong, substantially rigid portion which carries snap fastener socket members 23 which are spaced apart the same distance as the head members IQ of said fasteners on plate Hi. The lip 22 extends in the same plane as the median plane of the pad, with one of its sides substantially coinciding with said median plane whereby its opposite side is positioned adjacent one face of the pad so that it may lie and fit against the violin and at the same time allow the pad itself to lie flat against the violin.

It will thus be seen that after the plate I8 is operatively clamped to the violin body, the shoulder pad may be secured to the violin by merely snapping the cooperating elements I9, 23 of the snap fasteners together. Likewise, the pad is detachable by simply pulling the elements of the fasteners apart. The lip 22 of the pad forms a strong, substantially rigid support for the sockets 23 of the snap fasteners and is of sufiicient strength to eliminate the use of metal members whereby it simplifies the construction of the pad by eliminating metal members therefrom. When secured to the violin, the pad 2i! lies against the body of the violin substantially flush therewith by reason of the positioning of lip 22 to one side of the median plane of the pad. The engagement of the pad with the violin body requires that i the pad be made of highly compressible material so that the pad will not deaden or affect the tone qualities of the instrument by interfering with the vibration of the tone-box forming body thereof. V

The pad is thus simple of construction, easy to attach and remove, of sufficient strength to withstand hard usage incident to. frequent attachment and detachment by reason of the construction of its securing lip, fits against the body 'of the violin by virtue of the positioning of its securing lip, and does not interfere with or depreciate from the tone qualities of the instrument.

j -The invention'having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is:

l. The combination with a violin, of an elongated curved shoulder pad, and means intermediate the length of said pad for securing said pad .to the violin at one side of the longitudinal cen-- ter of the violin. to position the major portion of said pad within the outline of the'violin with the curvature of said pad in opposed relation to the curvature of the adjacent edge of the violin and with the end portionoof said pad adjacent the longitudinal center of the violin projecting beyond the edge of the violin to rest on the collar bone of a player to cooperate with the portion of the pad resting upon the shoulder of the player to provide a double support for the violin and insure positioning of the violin at a natural playing angle.

2. The combination with a violin, of an e1ongated curved shoulder pad having a longitudinally extending comparatively rigid lip formed at the concave side of said pad intermediate the length thereof, and means for securing said lip to the violin at one side of the longitudinal center of said violin to position the major portion of 'violin at a natural playing angle, said lip reinforcing the portion of said pad projecting beyond the outline of said violin to prevent deforming of said pad when resting against the collar bone of the player.

'3, The combination with a violin, of a shoulder pad having a substantially rigid lip formed at one side thereof, means for securing said lip to the bottom of the violin adjacent the rear edge thereof with said pad extending inwardly of said lip, said lip defining the outline'of said pad in the shape of a curve extending in opposed,

relation to and spaced inwardly of therear edge of said violin for at leastthe major portioncf its length, whereby said pad provides a curved fulcrum'for-the violin about which the violin tilts .to av natural playing angle upon the application of pressure to the upper rear edge thereof.

' WILLIAM; W. 'WESTMAN. 

